Recreation, Library & History

Township's History

Lacey Township encompasses the areas of Forked River, Lanoka Harbor and Bamber Lakes. At approximately 84 square miles, Lacey Township is vast in size and rich in natural resources.

Named for Revolutionary War General John Lacey and was formed on March 23, 1871. General John Lacey in partnership with his son Thomas R. Lacey, developed Ferrago Forge on the middle branch of the Cedar Creek eight miles northwest of Forked River in 1809 which included an area he had surveyed in 1794. It included a dam that created "Forge Pond." The settlement that sprang up around the forge was first called Ferrago Village. General Lacey built a road from the forge to Forked River in 1810 to ship the iron products from Ferrago Forge and nearby Dover Forge built in 1809 by Lacey's son-in-law, William Smith, in what is now Berkeley Township. The road was named Lacey Road. In 1865 William Hurry purchased the Ferrago Forge Tract and renamed the settlement Bamber after the family name of his mother. Mr. Hurry closed the forge shortly thereafter. General Lacey died on February 17, 1814 at the age of 62.

Lacey Township was formed from Dover and Union Townships on March 23, 1871. In 1876 a small portion of the township along the Oyster Creek was ceded to Ocean Township (Waretown) and on June 23, 1933 the southern tip of Long Beach Island (now Island Beach State Park) was ceded to Island Beach Borough when it was formed.